Twelve Haitian artists will create earthquake inspired art during a three-month residency in Jamaica at Roktowa Gallery in downtown Kingston.

The residency, which starts this month will culminate in a local exhibition and international auction of 20 books of art created by the artists. The Roktowa residency is expected to foster art creation and offer a respite from the earthquake in Haiti which killed over 200,000 this January, the organiser said. One artist, Lionel St Eloi even had his multi-storey studio destroyed in the earthquake.

“When you go to different place your work absorbs that reality. That is why residency is important not only for professional development but for cultural dialogue,” Melinda Brown, creative director at Roktowa and organiser told the Sunday Observer yesterday. The Roktowa residency is done with the support of the University of the West Indies which provides housing.

The artists are mainly from the Gran Rue and St Eloi Atelier communities in Haiti and the group includes nine sculptors, one flag artist, a novelist and a filmmaker. Many of these artists are respected with previous international exhibitions.

“When I went to Haiti last year and developed relationships with some eminent artists what became obvious was that despite adverse circumstances these artists still have international careers with shows in the UK, Paris, Washington DC etc.,” she explained.

The residency is expected to raise awareness of Haitian art for Jamaica’s artistic community and the public. Brown hinted at a truism that music is to Jamaica what art is to Haiti. Said she: “I am really not sure why visual art in Jamaica has not expanded more.”

The residency will include talks at high schools, the Edna Manley College and the University of the West Indies (UWI), which also will provide board. The residency is the first step in the cross-dialogue between Jamaican artists and those in the rest of the Caribbean, stated a release from Endz of the Earth which represents Roktowa.

Proceeds of the sale of the 20 books entitled From the Trembling Heart, will go towards the establishment of an art residency exchange programme between Haiti and Jamaica. It is envisioned that this first edition of From the Trembling Heart will be the incubator for subsequent editions which will be produced on other Caribbean islands helping to ground, centre and develop the Caribbean’s artistic identity, said Roktowa.

“The book will be a work of art, some pages will be made of wood and some of metal,” explained Brown adding that its very cover will be a sculpture.

The artists invited are diverse yet have a complementary range of skills. Sculptors from St Eloi Atelier include Lionel St Eloi, WabbaUpKing, and Nathalie Fanfan. Sculptors of the Gran Rue include Celeur Jean Herard, Chebby, Eugene Andre, and Guyodo. Non-aligned artists include Tirzo Martha, Tirzo, Myrlande Constant, Zaka Lalwa and Jean Euphele Milce.

The Roktowa is an art studio and gallery located at the corner of West and Tower Streets in downtown Kingston.